Westmeath artist Mark Garry’s work chosen for national collection

Hennessy Ireland and Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA ) have chosen a work by Westmeath contemporary artist Mark Garry to be purchased by The Hennessy Art Fund for IMMA Collection 2017.

Mark’s installation, North of the West (2017 ), filmed at Mullaghmore Peninsula, Sligo, acts as means of structuring an allegorical parallel between the sea and his paradoxical childhood relationship with the Christian faith – both powerful, immense, beautiful, and potentially terrifying elements that surround the island of Ireland. The soundtrack for the film, played on vinyl record, comes from another of his collaborative works directly engaging with the sea.

The record, “Titled Drift”, is the outcome of a musical performance, film, and recording project that took place in Detroit, Michigan, and Horseshoe Bay, Sherkin Island, off the coast of west Cork. This performance incorporated Aeolian harps, a brass section, and a saxophone player.

Three other artists also saw their works chosen for The Hennessy Art Fund for IMMA Collection 2017: Ciarán Murphy (Mayo ), Mairéad McClean (Tyrone ), and Yuri Pattison (Dublin ).

In 2016, Hennessy Ireland formed a unique partnership with IMMA to help fund the purchase of important works by Irish and Irish-based artists for the National Collection. Works are sought which show excellence and innovation within contemporary art developments, and which represent a signal moment of achievement with the artist’s practice and capture a moment in time of Irish culture. They must also have been made within the previous five years.

Elaine Cullen, market development manager for Moet Hennessy Ireland, said: “Hennessy has strong roots to Irish culture and has a long tradition of supporting and nurturing Irish talent in the arts. It is a privilege to enable the acquisition of works by these four artists, works which are deserving of their addition to the hugely important National Collection at IMMA.”